Confidence and self-esteem We hear talk about lack of self-esteem all the time, but how on earth do you change it, and where do you find confidence when it has always seemed to be a missing part of the puzzle? Expand Life is in ten percent experience, and ninety percent how you respond to it.' Substance use problems, addiction and lack of self-esteem tend to go hand in hand. It's a rare person who does not enter treatment, begin to address their substance use, and then find themselves, dazed and dispirited, looking around at the wreckage of their lives. This workshop is intended to help with that, if only a little . . . . Confidence is natural to human beings. After all how did you learn to walk? What causes us to lose confidence? What do we mean by self-belief and where does it come from? What part does substance use play in lack of self esteem and is it real? Why keeping a diary can save your life! What do we mean by goal setting, and how does it work? New Year's resolutions and goals, some ideas for moving forward. What is the power of positive thinking? Fear is natural, so how do we overcome it? Is anxiety really frozen excitement? How do we measure change? Another in our self development workshops, this one is based on the personal experiences of many of us in our personal journeys. After all, pretty much every single Build on Belief member of staff began their journey in the wilderness of addiction. How did they get from there to here?
Confidence in public speaking It's fascinating how many of us are asked to speak in public, often about our experiences of treatment and recovery. Here is a lighthearted workshop intended to make a panic inducing experience a lot easier! Expand 'It's alright to have butterflies in your stomach, just get them to fly in formation!' It is a little strange, but in the worlds of addiction and recovery, a large number of us are asked to speak in public. Very often this is about our experiences of treatment or recovery, or to share some of our own learning and personal development as we have battled to turn our lives around. For a great many people, this is a panic inducing, if not utterly terrifying experience, and yet it can be easier than you think . . . . . Why is short better than long? Reasons as to why a good beginning and punchy ending are important. Are you a reader, a bullet pointer, or do you prefer to shoot from the hip? Working out your own technique. Jokes are good, but which ones? People love a story, but why? Emotional content can hook an audience, but own do you do this and retain some sense of privacy? Why winging it never works! How do you put a presentation together? Why rehearsing is so important! How to test a presentation on others and listen to the feedback! What does know your audience mean? The dangers of grandstanding! What do you when you panic? Some simple tricks to using power point without boring the audience rigid! Slowly, year by year, we are writing the odd workshop here and there than is less about drugs, alcohol, treatment and recovery, and more about personal development. So many people associated with Build on Belief over the years have been asked to speak publicly, we thought we would try and make it a little easier for them!
How to survive a 12 Step Meeting Mutual aid meetings are evidenced to help people succeed in their recovery from substance use problems, so how is the most effective way of using them? Expand 'The willingness to share does not make one charitable, it makes one free.' At Build on Belief we think everyone struggling with their substance use should at least give mutual aid meetings a go, and the twelve-step fellowship is bar far the biggest of the various mutual aid meetings in existence. Like everything else in this world, they have their upside and their down, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. How do you share about your feelings in any mutual aid meeting, and leave feeling safe and happy . . . . What is a mutual aid meeting? What are SMART meetings? What are twelve-step meetings? What are the twelve steps and what do they mean? What is the difference between open and closed meetings? What are the benefits of attending a mutual aid meeting? How does confidentiality work in mutual aid meetings? What is the difference between support and treatment? How do you talk about your feelings without exposing too much about your personal life? What are some of the difficulties you might encounter? Why should you try more than one meeting? At Build on Belief we do not promote one form of recovery over another, so we do not get involved in the debate between total abstinence and harm minimisation, believing wholeheartedly that recovery can only work if it is a personal choice. Nevertheless, we do consider it a part of our mission in life to let each and every person who walks through our doors know about every 'recovery pathway' we have ever heard of, and support them into exploring the wonderful world of recovery as they choose. This workshop is intended to encourage people to give all and any form of mutual aid a go, and look at the benefits and pitfalls all mutual aid meetings possess.
Dual diagnosis for beginners Dual diagnosis means that someone has substance use difficulties and mental health problems, which our research shows to be more than half of the people we meet . . . . Expand 'The good news is you've got your feelings back. The bad news is you've got your feelings back.' Dual diagnosis has long be recognised as a wide spread problem in the field of addictions, and its not much of an exaggeration to say that it's rare substance use struggles and mental health difficulties do not walk hand in hand. What is the link between the two, and what do we need to know in order to support ourselves and others . . . What is dual diagnosis? What do we mean by good mental health, and what are some of the things that cause poor mental health? Which came first, the substance use problem or the mental health problem/ What do we mean by self medication? Does substance use make mental health better or worse? What kind of mental health problems do we encounter? The Minkoff Severity Model A look a four different kinds of mental health problems Vulnerability and Dual Diagnosis - who is at risk? Mental Health and Adult Safeguarding Dual Diagnosis and suicide - who is most at risk? Dual Diagnosis Anonymous The five ways to well being and how they can help A basic understanding of mental health is necessary for anyone working with individuals who have or have had substance use problems. This workshop aims to increase the confidence of staff and volunteers working with individuals who struggle with their mental health and have complex needs.
BBVs Blood borne viruses such a Hepatitis B and C, and HIV can be avoided with the right precautions. What are they, what do they do to us, and how can we prevent their spread? Expand 'It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.' Blood borne viruses are a risk for those who use many different types of drug, especially those who inject. Just because you don't inject drugs, doesn't mean you are not at risk. These viruses can be spread through sex with others, and even the sharing of pipes. What do we need to know . . . A brief history of HIV A brief history of Hepatitis C What is HIV and what is Hepatitis C? What is the difference between Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C? Can blood borne viruses be treated, and if so, how? What are the potential routes of transmission? What are the myths about the ways blood borne viruses can be transmitted? Basic safer injecting advice What do we mean by safer sex, and why is it important in respect of people who struggle with their substance use? In many respects a companion piece to the Needle Exchange workshop, this workshop is intended to give some awareness around blood borne viruses along with the requisite harm minimisation advice.
Needle Exchange The needle exchange is an essential tool in the harm minimisation armoury, but giving safer injecting advice and equipment requires a great deal of knowledge . . . . Expand 'Change is inevitable. Progress is optional.' Operating a needle exchange should be about more than just dishing out new needles and syringes. We believe that anyone working in a needle exchange or handing out packs, should have as much knowledge about the risks of injecting, safe injecting techniques and blood borne viruses as possible . . . . Why are there different sizes of needles and syringes? What do the choice of needles and syringes tell us about someone's drug use? Which drugs are most often injected? Which drugs should never be injected? What are the safest injection sites and how should they be rotated? What is the safest way to prepare an injection? What water should you use? What are blood borne viruses and how do you avoid them? What is deep vein thrombosis and how can it be avoided? What other health risks are their to injecting? What is septicemia? Why do people get abcesses and ulcers? Which combinations of drugs are particularly dangerous to inject? What are the five routes of administration, and how can drugs be taken in a different way? What advice do you give to prevent overdoses? What advice do you give about infections or wounds/ Why do we give out sharps boxes and how should they be collected? This, and more is included in this challenging, yet oddly fascinating workshop, and it is intended to allow the staff and volunteers give deliver safe and practical harm minimisation advice.
Club drugs and NPS There are a lot of new drugs out there, and more appearing month by month. What do we need to know about them? Expand 'If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.' The world of mind altering substances is changing at frightening speed. It used to be unusual if a new recreational drug turned up once every five years, now there are dozens, perhaps hundreds, turning up year after year. The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 made them all illegal to sell or import, but there is no sign that this having an impact on the problem. What are these new drugs, where do they come from, and what do we need to know about them? What do we mean by club drugs and what do we mean by legal highs? Why are some of the legal highs so potentially dangerous? What are the most common drugs used by clubbers? Why is chem-sex an issue, and which drugs does it tend to involve? What are the drugs we should be aware of? What are the health risks with ketamine? Why is heavy use of GHB so dangerous? Why is methamphetamine different from cocaine, and what are the risks involved in it's use? What are drug groups, and why do they help us work with new substances? What are the referral pathways for these drugs? This workshop is intended to highlight some of the known risks from the 'newer' drugs that have become prevalent over the past decade, look at some of the sub-cultures involved with certain types of drug use, and raise awareness of the changing patterns of drug use within the Build on Belief staff and volunteer team.
Cannabis Recently legalised in Canada, cannabis has long been seen as a harmless drug? Is this true, and if there are risks to it's use, what are they? Expand 'I tried marijuana once. I did not inhale.' Next to alcohol, cannabis is probably the most commonly used of all drugs. Recently legalised in Canada, and decriminalised in many other countries, there has long been a debate about how harmful smoking a joint really is. this workshop looks at the cannabis debate, its potential harms, and why its use can be addictive . . . . A history of cannabis use What is the difference between skunk and hashish, and does it matter? Does cannabis have medical uses? Should cannabis be legalised, and if so, why? What are the different types of cannabis, and what are the harms associated with their use? Cannabis use and other substances Is cannabis potentially addictive, and if so, why? THC vs CBD - why does this matter? Positive and negative effects of cannabis use The physical and mental health impacts of cannabis use How do we support someone trying to cease cannabis use? Just because a drug is perceived as relatively harmless, it doesn't mean there are no risks to its use, or that it cannot be classes as addictive. There is plenty of evidence that cannabis use can be problematic for some people, so what do we need to know?
Heroin and other opiates Physically addictive, it's users are heavily stigmatised, and can be difficult to help. What is the truth about heroin and other opiate use? Expand '80% of heroin users inject with a friend. Which is weird. Because 80% of all overdose victims found by paramedics are alone.' The most notorious of all the illegal drugs, surrounded by a host of myths and horror stories, heroin addicts, along with crack users, are the most stigmatised of all drug users. What is the truth of heroin and opiate addiction? Why do people become addicted to such a notoriously dangerous drug? Is there a way to minimise its harm, and how do we support people addicted to opiates? Are all opiates physically addictive? What are the withdrawal symptoms and are they dangerous? Health risks associated with opiate use. What is maintenance prescribing and why is it important? Do you need to do an inpatient detox to become drug free? What medications are used to support people ceasing their opiate use, and what is the difference between them? How is heroin taken, and are some ways safer than others? What is the link between opiate addiction and emotional turmoil? Heroin; morphine; dicanol; oxycontin; fentanyl; methadone. There are many types of opiates. Are some more dangerous than others? What other substances are commonly used with opiates and why? Which combinations are particularly dangerous? A history of opiates and their medical uses. How do we support someone seeking to beat and opiate addiction, and what sort of help might they require? This workshop will give you a clear understanding of the reasons behind a great deal of opiate addiction, how opiates work, and some of the difficulties people have in trying to cease their opiate use. This will enable you to work with opiate users with both confidence and compassion, and arm you with the knowledge to help support the treatment naive to enter structured treatment.
Crack and Cocaine The first is regarded as one of the two 'demon' drugs, the other is all but socially acceptable. What are the risks with crack and cocaine use, and how do we work with those using them? Expand 'We were talking briefly about cocaine. Anything that makes you paranoid and impotent, give me more of that!' Along with heroin, crack cocaine is often viewed as one of the two 'demon' drugs, yet cocaine is so widely used, it has not only become all but socially acceptable, but traces of it can be found everywhere, from your local pub to the Palace of Westminster. Nevertheless, just because one of them is chopped out on the table at middle class dinner parties, doesn't mean it isn't illegal or dangerous . . . . . What is the difference between crack and cocaine? What are the risks of using cocaine with alcohol? Why can heavy cocaine use with alcohol lead to a problem with alcohol? Crack and cocaine can often be a gateway into the use of other substances. Why? A brief history of cocaine use How are these drugs taken, and what are the risks associated with the various routes of administration? Why is injecting either of these drugs particularly dangerous? What are the other common substances taken with cocaine? What are the physical and mental health problems associated with using these drugs? What other risky behaviours are often a result of cocaine use? What are the withdrawal symptoms associated with these drugs? How can be support people who struggle with their use of these substances/ Our own research shows that crack and cocaine, along with alcohol, heroin and cannabis are the most widely used mind altering substances. Like all substances, they have their own specific health risks and behaviours, and this workshop will help you to learn more about both.
Alcohol Legal, widely used and yet arguably the most harmful of all mind altering substances. Do you understand the impact of alcohol on wider society? The dangers associated with heavy drinking? Expand 'Alcohol gives you infinite patience for stupidity.' Short of prescribed medication, alcohol is the only legal substance we work with. Widely used, socially acceptable and very cheap, there is nevertheless a strong argument to be made of alcohol doing more long term damage to the health that any other substance. Pretty much everyone has tried it, the majority of people drink it, and yet what do we really know about alcohol . . . . What is the history of alcohol use? Why do people drink, and which groups are at most risk of harm? Why is alcohol legal if drugs aren't? What is the impact of alcohol use on wider society? Is alcohol really a foodstuff? What are safe drinking limits? What is binge drinking and why is it a concern? What are the health problems related to heavy alcohol use? What are the dangers of mixing alcohol with other drugs? Does the misuse of alcohol have a different impact on differing areas of society? Are the risks of heavy drinking different for men and women, and if so, why? Are alcohol withdrawals dangerous, and if so, why? What is harm minimisation advice for those who are alcohol dependent? How do we work with someone who struggles with their alcohol use when the substance is legal and everywhere! This workshop puts alcohol in perspective both historically and in respect of wider society, and looks in detail at the harms associated with its misuse. It also looks at why supporting someone with an alcohol problem can be very different to supporting someone who struggles with their drug use.
Harm reduction & Poly drug use Most people who use drugs use more than one substance. What are the dangers involved, and how do you make an inherently dangerous behaviour a little safer? Expand 'Who says being a quitter is a bad thing?' At Build on Belief, we are huge believers in harm reduction. Like it or not, some people are unable, unwilling or simply not ready to stop their use of drugs. Most drug users will use a variety of substances, making a dangerous lifestyle significantly more perilous. While we strive to support people into, and through treatment, and then into the version of recovery they have chosen for themselves, we will never give up on someone whose yet to take the first step. At the very least, advice, information and support can improve someone's well-being, even if only a little. This workshop is intended to equip our staff and volunteer teams to do just that . . . . . What single substance causes the most harm and why? What are the common combinations of drug use and why do people mix them? Which combinations are the most dangerous and why? Which drugs are physically addictive and what are the symptoms? Which drugs are dangerous to withdrawn from? There are five ways of getting drugs into the body? What are they, and what risks are associated with each? What are blood borne viruses, why are they dangerous and how to you avoid them? Why does the purity of a drug matter? Lifestyle can also pose a significant risk to health. How can this be addressed? Mental health and addiction - what is the link? What simple advice can we give to make alcohol consumption a little safer? What simple advice can we give to make drug use a little safer? How do we support someone into accessing structured treatment? This workshop is intended to help our staff and volunteers to work with those individuals whose complex needs or difficult circumstances mean they are still struggling with their substance use, to reduce the harm associated with their substance use and lifestyle, and support them into structured treatment or mutual aid wherever possible.
Epigenetics and addictions What part does society as a whole play in addiction? Can changing our relationship with the world around improve our well-being and sustain recovery from substance use problems? Expand 'Interdependence is and ought to be as much the ideal of man as self-sufficiency. Man is a social being.' At Build on Belief we like the occasional curve ball, and here's one in our training package. For many years, when it comes to the subject of child-rearing, there has been a debate around nature vs nurture. What are we born with, and what are we taught, and how does this play a part in the person we eventually become? When you look at some of the root causes behind addiction the same debate is possible. Are we genetically wired for our addictions? Does wider society play a part, and if so what? If our upbringing, place in society and social networks play a part in our addiction, can they play a part in our recovery, and if so, what? How did we evolve as human beings? What is the essence of a tribe? Do we still have tribes, and if so, what do they look like? What part does stress and other epigenetic changes play in our overall well-being? What is BDNF and why is it important? How do we raise BDNF levels? What is the cycle of addiction and how can it be changed? Why are the five ways to well-being so important to this discussion? This workshop seeks to understand why the Build on Belief model of creating therapeutic spaces without any therapeutic interventions, relying instead on social interaction and activity, allows so many people to deal with their substance use problems in their own fashion and begin to improve their overall quality of life. Are there some essential components to being a happy and functional human being that everyone requires? If so, how do we achieve them?
Assessments Sometimes people need more help than we are able to provide, and require an assessment and subsequent referral into structured treatment. What is the trick to pulling off an assessment that make someone feel supported, listening to, and happy to take the next step and turn up for their appointment? Expand 'Beware of a man who knows the answer before he understands the question.' Sometimes a person will walk into a service in real trouble with their substance use, and in clear need of structured therapeutic support. There are occasions where undertaking a initial assessment as a prelude to an appointment with the local service provider not only acts as the first step in someone entering treatment, but provides them with the invaluable sense of being listened to, understood and reassured that the problems with which they are surrounded can be dealt with. All you need to do is fill in the form . . . . . What are the rules around confidentiality regarding an assessment? What does informed consent mean? Are they eligible for treatment in the borough? What is an assessment for? How do you come across as the person asking the questions? As the person undertaking the assessment, do you really understand what all the questions mean and why they are being asked? What do you do if someone refused to answer a question? How do you ask the difficult or embarrassing questions? What is the minimum amount of information you require? Do you know enough about different drugs, their use and harms to fill in the substance use section properly? Are you able to recognise the dangers of poly-drug use? Do you insist on asking the questions in the order they are written, or is there another way? What do you do if they tell you something you think is relevant but you can't find the box on the form? What do you do if someone becomes distressed during the assessment? What do you do if someone says something that makes you think that they, or someone else may be a serious risk of harm? How do you identify other risks to their well-being, outside of their immediate substance use, and why are they important? What do you do if you think a person is lying to you? At Build on Belief we think undertaking an assessment well is an art-form in itself, and can make the difference between someone entering structured treatment and taking the first steps toward changing their lives for the better, or walking out of the door never to return. This workshop is intended to make sure that the first of these happens. For those of you who wish to learn to undertake initial assessments, there is a test to pass when you think you are ready!
Dealing with difficult behaviour We all know that substance use problems inevitably change the way people behave, and those under the influence or simply having a bad day, can be a handful at times. What do we do next? Expand 'Anger is nothing more than an outward expression of hurt, fear and frustration.' Working or volunteering in an open access drop-in for individuals who have, or have had a substance use problem can be extremely challenging at times. Let's be honest and recognise that people are not always polite, reasonable or well behaved. Yet to run an effective service, we cannot bar everyone person who comes in off the back of a bad day or a little worse for wear. So, the question is, how do we manage difficult and challenging behaviour . . . What do we consider to be difficult or aggressive behaviour? What do we think some of the reasons behind such behaviour might be? The best way of dealing with a potentially difficult situation is to spot it early. What are the signs? What do you do if the problem is between two service users? How do you diffuse a situation successful, while avoiding the possibility of escalation? What part does the service user contract play in managing a difficult situation? In dealing with an angry or abusive individual, how do you keep yourself and your colleagues safe? What part does team work play in these situations, and how is it best used effectively? What are the challenges in managing a difficult situation and how do you prepare yourself? What do you do when a situation gets out of control? What happens next? This workshop looks at the means for diffusing difficult situations, dealing with upset individuals, and where necessary barring people from accessing a service. Here we look at running a tolerant and supportive service that recognises many of our service users are having a difficult time, while keeping the same service safe and friendly.
Diversity & Discrimination What is the difference between prejudice and discrimination, and does it matter? What do we need to know about the legislation around discrimination, and how to we learn to celebrate diversity? Expand 'We all bleed the same colour.' Prejudice is a normal part of human thinking, and anyone who claims to have no prejudices either misunderstood the question, or is dangerously close to self delusion. If, as we believe, everyone has prejudices, how do we stop them becoming discrimination? Do our own belief systems and upbringing make it difficult to celebrate diversity now and again, and how can we ensure that our services genuinely welcome everyone who walks through the door, irrespective of where they came from, who they are and what they believe . . . What are the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010? Do I understand them, and do I agree with them? Do any of these characteristics clash with my own personal beliefs, religious for example? Are there any circumstances under which my own belief's make it difficult to accept someone else's? What are the positives to celebrating difference in others? Can I name some of my own prejudices, and how do I manage them in my dealings with others? Discrimination can be loosely broken into seven different types. Do I know what they are? Our strength lies in our ability to embrace diversity. What are the challenges? What do I do if I feel I cannot work with a specific individual? What do I do if I think someone is discriminating against another person? Does celebrating diversity and challenging discrimination mean I have to agree with everyone? Build on Belief has a long and proud history of running extremely diverse services where we welcome everyone who wishes to join us, but there are times when doing so can be a challenge for anyone, not matter how much practical experience they have under their belts. This workshop is intended to give everyone a clear understanding of our legal obligations, to challenge some of our own thinking and behaviour, and to not only celebrate our way of working, but to look at the benefits to staff, volunteers and service users when a project is open and diverse, and where discrimination is challenged when needs be.
Safeguarding We have a legal duty of care toward every person who comes into a Build on Belief project, and safeguarding training helps us to make sure every is looked after to the best of our ability. Expand 'We have a legal responsibility to look after everyone who comes through out doors - and we will!' In a strange way, the safeguarding of children is easier than the safeguarding of adults, simply because we have a legal duty to act immediately if we have concerns for the welfare of a child. It is important to understand that you do not necessarily need to see a child to have concerns for its welfare, but that any concern must be investigated, recorded and if needs be, acted upon. It is very rare in Build on Belief projects that child safeguarding is an issue, but the safeguarding of vulnerable adults is something we all need to keep in the back of our minds. We work with a very vulnerable group of people, who often have physical and mental health difficulties as well as problems with their substance use. Many of them are at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder and have problems with housing and finance, and the combination of all the above means that problems inevitably arise. The safeguarding of adults can be a little trickier than that of children. An adult has the right to refuse an offer of help, and the right to live their life in the manner they choose, and therefore we can only act if we believe they, or someone else, is at serious risk of harm. It is easy to think of safeguarding as protecting individuals against physical or sexual violence, but in truth financial abuse, emotional abuse or simple neglect is far more common. Our safeguarding training is intended to help staff and volunteers to recognize potential signs of abuse, and think about the interventions they might need to consider. It is intended to teach them how to hold difficult conversations with service users, and how to manage and report their concerns for the welfare of others. This workshop takes you through the signs that might indicate a safeguarding issue, the legal responsibilities involved, the best way of supporting a vulnerable person, and the reporting procedures and referral pathways that are used to help someone in trouble. Don't panic! There are always staff on hand to deal with any issues that might arise, and most safeguarding concerns are dealt with in a quick and simple fashion. Remember, by learning to spot potential signs of abuse you might safe someone's life. You will certainly change it for the better.
Communication skills It's often not what you say, but how you say it that helps to provide effective support for others, and diffuse potentially tricky situations. Expand 'It's not what you say, but how you say it that makes all the difference.' Communication is at the heart of everything we do at Build on Belief. To work well and effectively, a socially based befriending service needs a staff and volunteer team with good communication skills more that pretty much anything else! We all learn to talk as children, and you would think that chatting to other's is the easiest and most natural thing in the world, wouldn't you? Strange that it can be so much harder than that! The Build on Belief training is intended to answer a host of questions around effective communication. What is active listening, and how do you hear what others are really saying? What part does your own thinking play in listening to others? Why is body language important, and what is effective body language? When talking to someone who is still struggling with their substance use, what might we need to bear in mind? What part does personal space play in communication? How do our own prejudices fit into our communication, and why are they important? How do you effectively listen to someone you don't like? Why is use of language so important? How can you tell when it's all going wrong, and what do you do next? Our communication skills workshop will discuss all of these questions and more. With practical exercises and a range of discussion points, they will help you to feel calm and confident in you ability to chat to anyone who walks through our doors.
Boundaries and confidentiality How do you balance looking after yourself, taking care of our clients, and meeting safeguarding legislation in a busy drop-in? Expand 'I will ask you to respect my privacy, respect my decision and just respect my right to be myself.' Boundaries are essential to the safe running of an open access drop-in, yet they can prove especially challenging in a social environment where friendly conversation is the order of the day. It can be a thin line to walk sometimes, and to do it well requires not only practice, but an understanding of the both the self and the service. This workshop looks at boundaries from both a personal a professional perspective . . . . What are my personal boundaries and how do they fit into my role? What are the professional boundaries required of me, and do they clash with some of my personal boundaries? What information can I share about myself, and what should I keep private? Is it alright to talk about my own experiences of substance use, and what are the risks? Is is alright to be hugged by a service user? What do I do when I feel that my personal boundaries are being breached? Confidentiality can bring it's own difficulties for volunteers, especially if they have recently been in treatment and are moving from seeing things from the perspective of a client to that of a worker. There is a saying that is often used in support groups, which says 'What's said in the room stays in the room.' Is this true of an open access drop-in . . . If what a service user says to me is confidential, is the reverse also true? Is confidentiality absolute, and if not, why not? What do I do if think people are gossiping about an individual? What do I do if I hear something that troubles me? What are the reasons for breaking confidentiality? If confidentiality has to be broken, what happens next? What is the relationship between boundaries and confidentiality? This workshop is a precursor to the safeguarding workshop, and is designed to give staff and volunteers a clear understanding of the basic ground rules for working in an open access drop-in that allows them to feel safe and confident in their work.
Supervising Your Peers Supervision is normally clinical process, but not with Build on Belief. For us, it's an added layer of support and a chance to find out how we can help you achieve your goals. Expand 'The strongest people make time to help others, even if they're struggling with their own personal demons.' In the field of professional drug and alcohol treatment, the supervision of staff is standard practice, and by and large is a clinically based process. At Build on Belief we decided long ago to hijack the idea, and bend it to fit our needs. All of our volunteers should receive regular supervision from the paid members of their respective projects, but we also strive to teach our Team Leaders how to supervise their peers. So why do we do it? We want to know how you feel, how you are doing in general. 'How's life?' is the question. After that, we want to know about your experience of volunteering. Are you enjoying it? Have you made any friends? Is there anything you are struggling with? Do you feel it is worth your time and effort. The answer to these questions is very important to us. Lastly, we want to help you achieve your personal goals. After all, you have given us your time, commitment and passion for little more than a sandwich and your travel expenses. We want to know if there is anything, within our admittedly limited power, we can give you. Because, if we can, we will. Our supervision training looks at a few simple guidelines . . . . What is the framework within which supervision is conducted? Why do we keep notes, and what happens to them? In a discussion with one of your peers, how and why do you keep the focus of the conversation on them? What do you do if someone has a complaint? How do you support someone if they ask for help and you're not sure what to do next? If someone is beginning to struggle with their substance use, what do you do? Supervision is an important part of our operations, and this workshop is intended to teach people how to make ir effective, boundaried, friendly and supportive.
How to be a team leader Thinking of a career in the field? Aiming for paid employment with Build on Belief? This is the first step . . . . Expand 'Ambition beats genius 99% of the time.' Fifteen years experience has taught us that most people have one of two reasons for volunteering. The first is that kindest of human emotions; the desire to give something back and help others. The second, and it's common to people in recovery who have got an handle on their own substance use, is the ambition to work in the field. We have a plan to help with that . . . . We learned many years ago that not only did our service managers almost permanently have their hands full, and could therefore use a little help, but that many of our volunteers had their own ambitions to run a peer-led service. With that in mind . . . . How do you facilitate check-in and check-out with the volunteer team? What's the best way to fairly allocate tasks necessary to the running of the service? How do you play to the strengths of your team when it constantly changes? How do you manage, and keep track of the petty cash? What data needs to be recorded, and how and when is it done? How do you learn to spot conflict early and nip it in the bud? What's the best way to begin a difficult conversation? With lots of activities going on simultaneously, how to you make sure the service stays safe and friendly? What's the best way to support an new volunteer? In the event of an accident or incident, what do you do? What's the best way to encourage a new service user to try one of the activities? This workshop is designed to encourage volunteers to be ambitious and take on a new role with added responsibilities, in effect working as a deputy to their service manager(s). Sometimes demanding, it gives people the chance to experience what it like to be in charge of a project, and is an excellent grounding for those with the ambition to either train as a recovery worker, or undertake the paid role of Build on Belief service manager.
What makes a good worker? Working with individuals who are struggling with, or in recovery from their substance use, is not as easy as it sounds . . . . . Expand Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.' While our volunteers are not 'recovery workers', in that they don't offer therapeutic interventions, they nevertheless work in busy services with a wide range of people, almost all of whom are vulnerable in one way or another. It's not as easy as it looks . . . . . What does recovery actually mean? How can you support someone to make the choices that will improve their well-being? What do you do when your definition of recovery clashes with theirs, and you disagree with their choices? Prejudice is a normal part of human thinking. Do you know what yours are? How do you stop them sliding into becoming discrimination? London is arguably the most diverse city in the world. There are more than three hundred languages spoken, twenty major religions, and its home to some of the richest and some of the poorest people in the world. You never know who is going to walk through the door. How do you prepare for that? Sometimes you simply just don't like someone. How do you support them anyway? This can be an emotionally draining role for everyone at times. How do you manage this and keep yourself safe and happy? What on earth does 'unconditional positive regard' mean, and how do you incorporate it into your practice? What are the limits of your role? What are the limits of the charity? What help can you really offer, and when do you have to say no? What happens when someone asks you for advice on their substance use and you have no idea what they are talking about? This workshop aims to help you learn to walk on the thin ice of volunteering in a challenging environment with a degree of confidence, and introduced many of the subjects that will be looked at in greater detail in subsequent workshops.
BoB Induction Welcome to the wonderful world of Build on Belief, known to all and sundry as BoB! Expand If you want to join us, we can always find a place for you in the family called BoB!' We have always believed that the well-being and happiness of our volunteers is central to the organisation. The lifeblood of the charity, they are involved in every aspect of our service delivery; from the design and implementation of the ideas that make each service unique, through to the day to day operations of the project where they choose to give us their time and enthusiasm, enabling us to help as many people as possible. We are proud of the fact that every single service Manager employed by Build on Belief volunteered for the service first, and that we have stuck to our ethos of recruiting paid staff from within our own volunteer teams. We have had thousands of volunteers in our short history, and our staff work very hard at looking after them. Nevertheless, volunteering for the first time can be a daunting prospect for even the staunchest of souls, let along someone early in their treatment journey, and still navigating the shoals and reefs of the real world without the crutch of their substance use. We also recognise that volunteering for Build on Belief can be a challenge when so much of the role involves chatting to others who are struggling themselves, and we know it can be difficult to find your feet. The Build on Belief induction workshop gives volunteers a chance to learn about the variety of roles available to them, an opportunity to ask as many questions as they like, and most importantly, a chance to munch biscuits and bond with the rest of the team. The workshop also serves as an introduction to the rest of the training programme, encouraging volunteers to attend a wide range of sessions that will not only serve to make them confident in their roles, but will do wonders for their self-development.